"Climate Refugees" - Legal and Policy Responses to Environmentally Induced Migration

The European Parliament (EP) has presented a study on environmentally induced migration and legal and policy responses to this phenomenon.

The study assesses to what extent the current EU framework for immigration and asylum already offers an adequate response to climate induced migration. The study also clarifies in which way a modified legal framework can be rooted in the Lisbon Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

So far, very few Member States have legislation explicitly considering environmentally displaced individuals. The report highlights that the resettlement of individuals from countries that have experienced environmental disasters should be considered by the EU. The Global Approach to Migration framework can also be used to enhance the protection of environmental displaced individuals outside the EU.